Martial Arts Of The World - Webs

20 Archery, Japanese
ical discipline. Today, kyûdô is taught as a mental, physical, and spiritual
discipline under the Zen Nihon Kyûdô Renmei (All Japan Archery Federation)
rather than as a competitive sport. It is now taught in the high
schools and universities as well as extensively practiced in private kyûdôjo
(archery halls).
The Japanese bow, or yumi, is about seven feet long and constructed of
laminated bamboo. The grip is placed one-third of the way up from the bottom,
unlike the grip on Western and Chinese bows. This placement of the
grip allows the bow to be used on horseback while retaining the advantages
of a longbow. The arrows, or ya, are also longer than Western arrows, due
to the Japanese method of drawing the bow to the right shoulder instead of
the chin or cheek. Because the bow is drawn with the thumb as in other
styles of Eastern archery, the glove, or yugake, is different, with a reinforced
inner thumb. No thumb ring is used, as was the case in Korea and China.
Only after the Ônin Wars, when an archer no longer had to use his sword,
did the modern kind of glove with a hardened thumb and wrist develop. The
uniform worn is normally the obi (sash) and hakama (split skirt) with either
a kyûdô-gi (jacket) or a kimono (for the higher ranks). White tabi (socks
constructed with the big toe separated from the other toes) are also worn.
Training begins with learning to draw the bow and shooting blunt and
unfletched (featherless) arrows into a mato (target). The beginner practices
the eight stages of shooting until his teacher is satisfied that he is ready to
move to regular practice. The eight stages are (1) ashibumi (positioning),
(2) dôzukuri (correcting the posture), (3) yugamae (readying the bow), (4)
uchiokoshi (raising the bow), (5) hikiwake (drawing the bow), (6) kai
(completing and holding the draw), (7) hanare (releasing the arrow, which
also includes a step called yugaeri, or the turning of the bow in the hand),
and (8) yudaoshi (lowering the bow). Each step is practiced until it is as
perfect as possible. In this way, the beginner learns proper technique without
the distraction of an actual target. Unlike Western longbows, the bow
is not drawn in a push-pull movement but in a spreading movement as the
bow is lowered. Since kyûdô is practiced as a means of personal development,
mere accuracy is not prized. The proper approach and a sense of zanshin
(the quiet period after the release of the arrow) are more important.
Three levels of skill are described: tôteki, or arrow hits target, kanteki, or
arrow pierces target, and zaiteki, or arrow exists in target. The first is also
called “rifle shooting” and is concerned only with hitting the center. In the
second, the archer pierces the target as if it were an enemy. An intensity is
seen that is absent in the first level. The final level, zaiteki, is where the
archer has unified his mind, body, and bow into one, and shooting becomes
natural and instinctive. This is the true goal of kyûdô.
Kevin Menard